Today's the day... What do we think of Proms season 2011?

[MrGongGong]

J I do wonder whether RW is accurate in calling Tim Minchin a 'musical genius' (I've never heard him, or heard of him ).

Actually Tim Minchin is very good indeed , much more entertaining IMV than the usual sub-Coward nonsense that passes as "musical humour"
try this one ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T4Wk9M2ObE

[amateur51]

Actually Tim Minchin is very good indeed , much more entertaining IMV than the usual sub-Coward nonsense that passes as "musical humour"
try this one ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T4Wk9M2ObE

Cheers for this, MrGongGong.

A long way from Kit & The Widow

Thank goodness

[MrGongGong]

A long way from Kit & The Widow

Thank goodness

One to add to the cringe thread methinks

[DracoM]

Yes, but billed as a 'genius' and 'brilliant' by RW? Tad OTT methinks.

[french frank]

Actually Tim Minchin is very good indeed , much more entertaining IMV than the usual sub-Coward nonsense that passes as "musical humour"
try this one ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T4Wk9M2ObE

Hmmmmmm. I suspect you don't want to know ... .

My problem with comedy is that find myself analysing it rather than laughing at it

[Rasluap]

Plenty of enticements from the visiting orchestras, but who on earth is responsible for approving the rag-bag of a programme announced for Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic? The announced works total only 66 minutes. Gil Shaham in the Bruch is the attraction, but to bring so good an orchestra so far for such short measure beggars belief.

[MrGongGong]

Hmmmmmm. I suspect you don't want to know ... .

My problem with comedy is that find myself analysing it rather than laughing at it

a bit like

Q: Where do the schenkerian analysis society go for their annual dinner ?
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A: For a curry at the Dahlhaus

[Eudaimonia]

RW seldom wants to talk about the effects of budget cuts, and even less often admits that any decision is the result of cuts.

But this time, there's literally nothing to say--this year's concerts were planned, scheduled and accounted for well before last year; next year's programs are mostly in the bag now. If no cuts have been announced and the planning cycle is so long, how in the world does the interviewer expect him to have anything meaningful to say about it? And what right does he have to slyly insinuate Wright is lying? Ignorant AND rude: win-win!

I agree with ML about a 'marketing strategy' with the latest comedy Prom. No strategy? Not connected with the Comic Classics on Breakfast? Or the Red Nose Day programming? Or the Christmas so-called 'comedy quiz"? Really?

If the interviewer hadn't been so hell-bent on nipping away at him like a badger cornering a snake, perhaps Wright would have come back with his usual "something for everybody" line-- but saying "you shouldn't read conspiracy and strategies into every single editorial decision that's taken"? Well, he was annoyed-- and rightly so. If he'd really lost it, he might have said "**** off and don't second-guess my editorial judgment when you don't know what the **** you're talking about". See? It could have been worse.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The frequent Roger Wright-bashing comments can be tiresome, and are hardly likely to win friends and influence people. I suspect the ending Radio 3 Messageboards was not unrelated to the constant tirade. Surely it's possible to comment on the policies without making it personal.

[Suffolkcoastal]

I presume RW wanted the R3 controller post, if you put yourself in that position then you make yourself a target if things go wrong or people don't like your ideas, its a fact of life I'm afraid. Someone after all has to take responsibility for the current state of R3 if it isn't the controller then we should know who's really pulling the strings.

[MrGongGong]

That may be but at least I'm not a sad, little man living his last few remaining years as a parasite off the state, in a godforsaken part of north London; consumed with bitterness and hatred towards those who've made a success of their lives.

I take it they didn't like your string quartet then ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That may be but at least I'm not a sad and lonely little man living his last few remaining years as a parasite off the state, in a godforsaken part of north London; consumed with bitterness and hatred towards those who've made a success of their lives.

What's all that about?

[rubbernecker]

That may be but at least I'm not a sad and lonely little man living his last few remaining years as a parasite off the state, in a godforsaken part of north London; consumed with bitterness and hatred towards those who've made a success of their lives.

Now come on, girls...

[DracoM]

I'm afrId, Alpenmate and others, suffolk's got a very fair point.

The guy wanted the job. It is unarguably the highest profile job in UK / BBC classical music. If he makes editorial decisions that set out / affect the highest profile classical music event in the calendar, they must and will be debated - but RW so often takes 'debated' to mean an attack, or 'second guessing' or sniping, or seeking to undermine. He has real form on this. Among notable other BBC editors / managers, there is the same aggressive / defensive mindset.

IMO, Front Row were perfectly within their rights to ask such questions on costs / cuts / programming. They have asked the same questions of almost every Arts administrator they have had on the prog for months. RW should not be an exception. He could prefectly well have explained to a - please note - Radio 4 audience how the Proms is set up. We on R3 may know the nuts and bolts, but maybe a number of R4 listeners don't. A patient, equable RW answer could have headed off a lot at the pass. But no..........the result being that the interview got tetchier and nastier and almost less informative as it went on, driving RW into exaggerations.

ML has been round the block a few times, and he could spot an interviewee rattled and/or defending what some might have raised eyebrows over and - shock horror - may even find indefensible, namely the apparently no-coincidence blatant cashing-in 'comic' agenda.

That's all part of what happens when Arts radio is doing its job.

And I am not sure likening RW to a snake being cornered by a badger is entirely flattering or much of a defence of the man, but let that pass!

[Panjandrum]

I take it they didn't like your string quartet then ?

Ah, Rosenzweig and Howard Stern Are Dead, eh?